Machine for making eyelets and other articles.



F. G. NEUBERTH.

MACHINE FOR MAKING EYELETS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

APPLIGATIONIILBI)APR.28,1904. 1,099,717..

Patented June 9, 1914.

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MACHINE POR MAKING EYELETS AND OTHER ARTICLES. APPLIOATION FILED APR.28. 1904.

Patented June 9, 1914.-

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F. G. NBUBERTH; MACHINE FOR MAKING BYELETSVAND OTHER ARTIGLES. APPLIUATION FILED APR. 2a, 1904.

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lUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

FRANKLIN G. NEUBERTH, OF WATERVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED FAST COLOR .'EYELET COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Application led April 2B, 1904. Serial No. 205.369.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN G. NEU- BERTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterville, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Makin Eyelets and other Articles, of which the following description, in eonnection With the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of eyelets and other articles having metallic body portions which are provided with non metallic coverings on some part of the body, and it is herein shown as embodied in a machine for making eyelets, although its application to machines for making other articles will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The eyelets which I have shown as made by my novel machines are provided with coverings of plastic material, such as pyroXylin.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel machine by which covered eyelets and other articles may be produced with great rapidity and economy.

A very important feature of this invention consists in providing automatic means for covering eyelets and other articles. It has heretofore been the practice to arrange the eyelets, lacing hooks, or the like and the covering material manually and then to put them into a press for molding the covering material onto the body portion of the article. In the embodiment of the invention herein shown a machine is provided with means for presenting eyelet bodies and covering material in proper relation and with means for automatically attaching the covering material to the iange of the eyelct.

Another important feature of the present invention consists in providing means for forming or partially forming the body portion of an eyelct or other article and simul taneously attaching the covering material. In the machine herein shown means is provided for pressing a piepe of covering material against the portion of the eyelct which is to constitute its flange and at the same time spreading or bending said portion,

whereby the fiange is caused to cut into the covering material and embed itself therein. The covering material may be and preferably will be molded into the desired form about the flange of the eyelct while the flange is being spread. I prefer to use pyroxylin or a similar compound of plastic material as the covering material and for the best results this material should be slightly warmed to facilitate its application to the eyelets.

A further feature of my invention, therefore, consists in providing a machine for covering eyelets or other articles with means for supplying covering material in suitably softened condition in position to be attached to the eyelets or other articles.

Other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be hereinafter described' and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a plan view of a machine embodying the present invention in one of the best forms now known to me. The hoppers are removed in this figure and the raceways are shown in section. Fig. 2 is a View showing the frame of the machine in section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and the hoppers and raceways in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a front View of the lower portion of the raceway for conducting the covering material. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the raceway in seetion. Fig. 5 is a view of the rear side ofthe raceway, certain parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the dies which complete the formation of the eyelct blank by spreading its fiange and simultaneously apply the covering material thereto, this figure showing the position occupied by the dies before pressure is applied to the eyelct blank and covering material.

Fig. 7 is a .f-:imilai1 view showing the position of the parts after the eyelct blank has engaged the covering material and forced it partially into the inner die, in which operation it has been bent somewhat about the flange of the eyelct. Fig. S is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the dies in the position they occupy when their operation is completed. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the eyelet blank which I prefer to use for making flu eyelets. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the piece of covering material having the shape of a ring or washer which I prefer to use. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the completed e elet. Fig.' 12 is a sectional view4 of another form of eyelet blank. Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. .8, showing the strippers modified to adapt themfor use with eyelet blanks such as are shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the eyelet produced bythe machine when the blank shown in Fig. 12 is used.V

The frame 2 of the machine is of suitable shape to rest u on a bench or table and is provided with hearings for the main shaft 4, which supports loose and fast pulleys 6 and 8 adapted to receive a belt connecting the machine with any suitable source of wer. The shaft is also provided with a hand wheel 10 by which it may be manually turned. v

A miter-gear 12 is secured to the main shaft 4 and meshes with a similar gear 14 on the rear end of the shaft 16. The shaft 16 is mounted in bearings in the frame and is provided at its front end with a disk 18 to which is eccentrically secured a pitman 20 having connection at its other end with a transferrer, hereinafter described.

The eyelet blanks which I prefer to use are shown in Fig. 9. The covering material, which may consist of any suitable pyroxylin comp'oundor` other material capable of be coming slightly softened when warmed, is preferably supplied in pieces, having the shape of washers or iat rings, as shown in Fig. 10, and herein designated as washers. The eyelet blanks are contained in a rotatable drum or hopper 30 of any usual or suitable construction and sustained on a bracket 32. Y The hopper is secured to a stem or shaft 36 and is -rotated by a belt '40 to cause the eyelet blanks to be supplied 'to the raceway 48. This belt passes from a pulley 38 on the shaft 36 around idlers 43 to a pulley 42 on the main shaft 4. The rings .or washers of covering material are contained in a rotatable drum or hopper 60 which may be similar to the hopper 30 and is shown as supported on a brac et 62. The hopper 60 is secured to a shaft 66 and is rotated to cause the washers to be supplied to the raceway 7 8 by a belt passing from a pulley 68 on the shaft 66, around idlers 71 to a pulley 72 on the main shaft 4.

The transferrer 100 before mentioned, which may be of any suitable construction to receive and hold an eyelet blank, has a pin and slot connection with the pitman 20 to permit a certain amount of lost motion during` which the transferrer remains at rest while insuring that it shall be moved by the pitman at the proper times during the operation of the machine. The transferrer is supported in a guide 82 clamped to the material.

machine frame by bolts 84 and adjustably sustained at its outer or left-hand end by a bracket (not shown), the bolts 84 fitting loosely in the block to permit the adjustment relative to the brac (et.

The eyelet blanks are fed from the raceway 48 to the transferrer by a pusher 120, which is carried by a reciprocating rod 122 mounted in bearings in the machine frame and held normally in its retracted position by a spring 124 which abuts at its rear end against a collar 126 fixed on the rod and at its other end against a collar 128 loose on the rod and resting against a fixed portion of the frame. 'lhe rearmost position of the rod is adjustably determined by a collar 130 secured on the rod in position to engage one of its bearings when the rodiis permitted by its actuating cam to move backwardly. The rod carries at its rear end a contact piece 132 shaped to engage an edge cam 134 on the main shaft for forcing the rod and pusher forward against the resistance of the spring 124 to feed an eyelet blank from the raceway 48 into its seat in the transferrer. The relative arrangement of the mechanism which actuates the transferrer and the mechanism which actuates the pusher is such that the transferrer comes to rest in its retracted position with the seat for the e elet-blank opposite the raceway 48, and t en the pusher is advanced to feed an e elet blank from the raceway into the trans errer. Thereafter the transferrer is advanced to put the eyelet blank between the dies and hold it inposition to be taken up by the movable die. The lost-motion connect-ion between the transferrer and the itman 20 permits this dwell of the transerrer at each end of its reciprocation, thus allowing time for the pusher to feed in a blank and time for the blank to be engaged by the forming dies which hold it during .the return movement of the transferrer.

194 in the front end of the reciprocating plunger 148, as shown in Fig. 1. The plunger is connected by a pitman 150 to an' eccentric portion 152 of the main shaft, see Fig. 2, by which it is reciprocated to move the die toward and from the coperating stationary die supported in the plate 144. The stationary die 190 is provided with a chamber 196 to receive the barrel of the eyelet blank, see Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and with a face 198 to assist in molding the covering The movable die 192 is provided with a projecting portion or finger 200 to enter the barrel of the eyelet blank `and with an annular recess or groove 202 to receive the ring or washer of covering material and to cooperate with the face 198 of the die 190 in molding the covering material onto the eyelet flange.` The projecting portion or finger 200 is enlarged, as at 204, for engaging the' eyelet blank at the base of the partially formed flange. The movable die is arranged to pass between the laterally separable members 240, 24() of the washer holder located at the lower end of the raceway 78 and to take therefrom a ring or washer of covering material, which is carried by the movable die into pressing contact with the partially formed flange of the eyelet blank, as shown in Fig. 6. The enlarged part 204 of the movable die finger is of greater diameter than the opening in the washer of covering material, and as the dic passes between the members 240 of the holder said enlarged part meets the inner edge of the washer and carries it out of thevholder and then the finger of the die passes into the open end of the eyelet until the washer meets the flange of the eyelet. and pushes it out of the transferrer. As the movable die continues its stroke with the inner edge of the washer against the enlarged portion of the die finger and the flange of the eyelet resting on the washer, the eyelet enters the fixed die and is stopped by it, as shown in Fig. 6. 1n the continued movement of the die 192 the washer of covering material is actively pressed against the edge of the eyelet flange, which causes the flange to cut into the cov-l ering material and the finger 200 to advance through the hole in the washer. As the finger advances through the washer the enlarged portion 204: and the face 205 act on the iinner and outer edges of the washer and bend these edges in substantially the manner indicated in Fig. 7. This causes the outer edge portion of the washer to be bent slightly around the edge of the eyelet flange and also causes the inner edge portion of the washer to become wedged between the inner edge of the eyelet flange and the enlarged portion 204 of the finger, as also is indicated in Fig. 7. Thereafter as the movable die completes its stroke the pressure of the covering material against the partially outturned flange of the eyelet and the wedging of the covering material between the enlarged portion 204 and the base of the eyelet flange bends or spreads said flange, while at the same time the flange is caused to cut into the washer, both by the direct pressure of the flange against the washer and by the spreading of the flange,`

which causes its edge portion to move radially outward and into the washer. Thus the flange is spread both by the pressure of the covering material against its edge and by the wedging of the covering material be* tween the base of the eyelet and the en larged portion of the die. vWhile the flange of the eyelet is being spread to eut into and embed itself in the washer of covering material the covering material is being pressed between the coperating surfaces`198 and 202 of the two dies to mold it upon both sides of the flange of the eyelet and to shape and smooth the ex osed surface of the cov ering. The rim o the die 192 is provided with a peripheral recess 193 to receive the covering material on the lower side of the eyelet flange and mold it against the flange while the rim of the die itself supports the flange near its base, as shown in Fig. 8, and prevents the flange from being unduly spread or the eyelet from being crushed.

It will be understood from the above description that the dies spread or complete the formation of the metallic flange of the eyelet and secure the covering material thereto by expanding the flange while the covering material is pressed against its edge. The flange thus cuts into and embeds itself in the covering material as it is forced to spread and the covering material on both the upper and lower sides of the flange is simultaneously molded into the desired shape. rlhe die 192 is herein shown as shaped for pressing the covering material slightly into the throat of the eyelet, as seen in Fig. 11.

While I prefer that the upper end of the eyelet blank be shaped as shown, that is, provided with a partially formed flange, before it is presented to the dies which simultaneously give final shape to the flange of the blank and unite it to the covering material, said dies obviously might be constructed to perform the entire operation of forming the flange on an eyelet blank having any desired or usual shape, or merely to expan or spread the flange of an ordinary eyelet body, while simultaneously uniting the covering material and flange in the manner described.

The means for freeing the eyelet from the die 190 comprises a stripper 210 arranged to stand normally in a central opening in the stationary die 190 and operated by an arm 212 secured on the front end of a rod 214 which is movable longitudinally in bear ings in the frame of the machine, its rear end being supported by a bracket 209. The rod 214 carries near its rear end upwardly projecting arms 216, 217, see Figs. 1 and 2, adjustably secured thereto in position to be engaged alternately by the high part of a cam 218 on the main shaft. The cam moves the stripper 210 inwardly to force the eyelet out of the fixed die by engaging the arm 217 and thereafter returns it to position by engaging the other arm 216. Preferably the stripper 210 passes loosely through the arm 212 and is provided on the inner side of said arm with an adjustable collar 211 to be engaged by the arm for moving the stri per inwardly. The stripper is surrounde on the outer side of the arm 212 with a spring 213 acting against an adjustable stop collar 215 arranged to abut against the bracket 219. This arrangement permits of the stripper being adjusted by the stop collar 215 to stand normally with its end flush with the bottom of the eyelet cavity in the die 190 where it forms a support for the end of the eyelet during the operation of completing the formation of its flange and attaching the covering material. The spring yields to permit the arm 212 to complete its backward stroke after the movement of the stri per is arrested by engagement of the stop with the bracket. A stripper 220 is mounted in the movable die 192 and is acted upon by a spring 222 to press it outward for freeing the eyelet from the die 192 if it should chance to adhere to that die. p

The closed end of the eyelet will be punched out by any suitable mechanism after the'flange has been completed. If desired, eyelet blanks may be usedhaving the shape shown in Figs. 12 and 13, that is having the inner end of the blank open as in the ordinary complete metallic eyelet. When such blanks are used the strippers will have the shape shown at 210x and 220* in Fig. 13 and the covered eyelet produced bythe machine will Ibe a nished eyelet, such as shown in Fig. 14.

The separable holding members 240, 240 of the washer-conducting raceway 78 are arranged as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, being formed with attaching arms 242 pivoted at 244 to the raceway and embraced by a bent spring 246, which holds them normally together, but permits them to be separated by the movable die 192. The holding members are each formed with recesses 241 in their adjacent edges, the two recesses constituting a seat located in the path of the die and adapted to hold a washer to be taken up by the die as it advances to act on the eyelet blank. The rear sides of the holding members are formed with inclined faces 248 located in alinement with the movable die and adapted to be engaged by the face of said die for wedging the holding members apart as the die advances to take a washer from them.

An improved form of escapement mechanism is employed for delivering the rings or washers of covering material one by one from the raceway 78 to the separable holding members 24() from which the washers are taken by the die 192. This mechanism comprises a bar 250 arranged in the rear side of the` raceway 78 for sliding movement transversely thereof. The bar 250 at its ends has depending plates 252, 254 which support respectively a separating blade 256 and a sustaining blade 258 arranged to slide in ways provided for them in opposite sides of the raceway, as shown most clearly in Fig.

4. The blades 256, 258 are each of a length to extend partially across the raceway channel when in their innermost position and thereby to sustain the column of Washers in the channel. 'l'he bar 250 and the blades 256 and 258 are normally held by a spring 260 in theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 5 with the separator blade 256 supporting the column of washers. The escapement mechanism is arranged to be actuated by the die 192 as it passes to and fro between the holding members 240. To this end a swinging plate 262 is pivoted to the raceway at 264 and extends downward between one 0f the holding members 240 and the plate 252 on the bar 250. Therefore, when the die 192 wedges the members 240 apart the bar 250 with the blades 256 and 258 is moved against the stress of the sprin 260 to put the blades in the relative positions shown in Fig. 4 and allow the column of washers to descend andbe supported by the sustaining blade 258. Thereafter when the die192 90 is retracted and withdrawn from between the holding members 240, the bar 250 and blades 256, 258 are reversely moved by the spring 260 to force the separator blade 256 between the lower washer and the one next above it. At the same time the sustaining blade 258 is withdrawn from under the lowermost washer, which is thereby permitted to fall freely into the recess 241 of the holding members in position to be taken up by the die 192 in its next forward movement. A similarly arranged escapement mechanism may be provided, if desired, for use in connection with the eyelet blank raceway 48 to insure the proper delivery of the 105 eyelet blanks one by one in position to be fed to the transferrer by the pusher 120.

The position of the lower end of the raceways is determined and that end of the raceways rigidly supported against forward and 11o backward pressure by a forked bracket 263 secured to the machine frame in position to engage a stud 265 on theface of the raceway 78, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The bracket forms a support for the raceway and insures that it shall be maintained in posi: tion to present the washer within its holding arms in position to be taken up by the die 192, as described.

For the best results in attaching pyroxy- 12o lin covering material to eyelets the material should be warmed to soften it slightly. The present machine is, therefore, equipped with a resistance coil 270 secured to the raceway and having connection through wires 272 with any suitable source of electrical energy. Suitable means is, of course, provided to regulate the current of electricity for controlling the heat produced. It is found that byheating the raceway in this manner the covering material 'iassing down it becomes sull'icieutly warmed and softened to obtain the best results in securing it to the eyelet.

,ln the operation of' the machine, the hoppers beingfilled with eyelet bodies or blanks and washers, the rotation of the lioppel's causes the eyelet blanks and washers to pass into the raceways fl-S and 7S, the first eyelet blank passing into position to be fed by the. pusher 120 into the transterrer.

After the pusher has been 'retracted the' traus'errcr is moved toward the left in Fig. 1 to carry the eyelet blank into alinement with the dies '1.90, 192. The die 192, in its last previous :ul\'z'i1'1cc, actuated the escapement mechanism carried by the raceway 78 to cause a washer of covering material to be l'ed into the holding members 240, and as the plunger 148 makes its next advance movement the die 192 as it passes between the holding members takes a washer and resses it Y against the partially formed fiange of the eyelet blank as the blank is forced out of the transferrer and into the fixed die 190. The pressure of the covering material against the edge of the partially formed flange and the wedging of the covering material between the portion 204 of the die 192 and the base of the said flange causes the flange to be spread radially outward, and as the flange spreads it cuts into the covering material and embeds itself therein. The eoperating faces 193 and Q02 of the dies at the same time mold the covering material into the desired shape upon both the upper and lower side of the flange. Thus it will be seen that the eyelet is formed or shaped by outturning or spreading its flange while simultaneously and by the aid of the spreading of the flange the covering material is attached to the eyelet, being securely inter-locked with the portions of the flange spreading radially in different directions. The movable die is thereafter retracted and the strippers free the eyelet from the dies and it is allowed to drop through the opening 3 in the frame into a receptacle.

It will be understood that at each operation of the machine an eyelet blank and a portion of covering material are fed in and a completed eyelet may be turned out.

By the term flange as herein used I mean to include the flaring end of the eyelet, to whatever extent it may be outturned and also to include any projection or projections of whatever nature formed on the eyelet or other article and adapted to be bent While in the covering material for uniting the covering material and eyelet or other article.

The method herein described of making eyelets and other articles is not claimed in this application, as it constitutes the subjectmatter of another application for Letters Patent led concurrently herewith.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a machine of' the class described, the combination with means for supplying eyelets, of means for supplying sheet covering material and means for applying the covering material to the eyelets having provision for bending the covering material over the edges of the eyelet .flange and relatively distorting the covering material and eyelet flange to cause the eyelet yflange to be embedded in the covering material.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with automatic means for presenting eyelets and sheet covering material, with means for bending the covering material into the lacing passage and around the edge of the flange of the eyelets and for securing it on the underside of thc flange.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a device to hold an eyelet blank and a device to hold a piece ot' covering material, of means for applying the covering material to the blank having a central projecting portion for bending the covering material into the end of the barrel and an annular portion for bending it around the edge of the flange of the eyelet and for securing it on the underside of the flange.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for supplying eyelets and pieces of sheet covering material, of a pair of bending and molding dies for bending the covering material around the portion of the eyelet to be covered and molding it thereon Without further bending.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for supplying pieces of sheet covering material, of means for bending the covering material over the portion of the eyelet to be covered and for distorting such portion of the eyelet to cause it to be embedded in the covering material.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two coperating dies for securing pieces of sheet covering material to eyelet blanks, one of the dies having portions for supporting the covering material in position to be bent by the eyelet and the other die having portions to bend the eyelet to cause it to embed itself in the covering material.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two coperating dies, the one having an opening therein smaller than the pieces of covering material and the other having portions for engaging the eyelet and the bent portions of the covering material, the dies operating to bend the covering material about the eyelet and to fasten them together.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two dies for applying sheet covering material to eyelets having provlsion for bending both the eyelet and the covering material and for uniting them hv the ben ing of both. p

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for applying covering material to e elets, of means to suport an e elet with 1ts flange exposed, means or supp ying sheet covering materlal, said supplying means comprising means for supporting t e covering material in a plane-substantia ly parallel with the plane occupied by `the top of said flange when the eyelet 1s held by said supporting means, means for advancing the covering material ed ewise 1n said lane as required, and means or heating e covering material.

10. In a machine of the class described, a raceway for supplying rings or washers. of covering materlal, said raceway comprising movable members for sustaining the lowermost washer, means for separating the members for discharging the washer, and an escapement mechanism for delivering the washers singly to the said. members, said escapement mechanism being arranged to be operated by the said movable members.

11. In a machine of the class described, a raceway for supplying rings or washers of covering materia said raceway comprising movable members for sustaining the lowermost washer, means for separating the members for discharging the washer, an escapement mechanism for delivering the washers singly toA said members, and means intermediate said members and the escapement mechanism by which the escapement mechanism is operated' when said members are moved.

12. In a machine of the class` described, the combination with fixed and movable dies, of stripping devices disposed centrally with respect to t e dies and coperating with said dies for stripping the article operated upon from both of said dies.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with `fixed and movable dies, of a spring-pressed spindle or stripper mounted in the movable die, a second stripper, means for retracting the movable die to permit Y let and into the lacing passage combined with means for securing said bent material under the edge of the flange.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means for feeding pyroXylin covering material having a heating contrivance for warming the covering material slightly, and dies for applying the warmed covering material to eyelets acting to bend it into the lacing passage and about the flange of the eyelet and to fasten the two together.

1.6. In a machine of the class described, means for bending the covering material about the ed e of the ange of an eyelet and into the en of the barrel combined with means for acting said bent material to secure the. eyelet and flange together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this, specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN G. NEUBERTH.

Witnesses:

ADA M. GnsNnR, FRANKLIN R. JOHNSON.

upon the outer portion of z 

